For many years, practitioners of dentistry and related arts were severely limited in their ability to visually examine the teeth and oral cavity of their patients. The most prevalent system involved the use of direct illumination sources and a variety of specially configured mirrors and mirror supports. With the development of miniaturized video cameras, the examining systems available to dental practitioners received a significant improved and enhanced capability. Such video cameras were quickly utilized in a variety of video systems which, while assuming a variety of configurations, generally included a miniature video camera coupled to a convenient video display such as a monitor or conventional television receiver. In most instances, a video recorder is combined with the video display to preserve a visual record of the examination. Often an auxiliary light source is supported near the miniature video camera to provide intraoral illumination and improve examination capability.
While several miniature video cameras have been constructed, one of the more popular of such video cameras is that manufactured by Elmo Company Limited having model numbers EM102 and EM102BW. The desire to provide video imaging system for use in dental examination has prompted practitioners in the art to provide a variety of imaging systems utilizing such miniature video cameras.
One such example of the presently available dental imaging systems is marketed by Lester A. Dine, Inc. under the trademark Oral Scan which utilizes an elongated cylindrical housing to support a miniature video camera of the type referred to above. An outwardly extending pistol grip type handle is secured to the cylindrical housing and is positionally adjustable. A support bracket secured to the cylindrical housing and the pistol grip handle supports a conventional dental examination mirror. In addition, the support bracket further supports a fiber-optic illumination source beneath the cylindrical housing and camera.
Another presently available device is manufactured by New Image Industries, Inc. under the trademark Intraview in which an elongated cylindrical handle supports a miniature video camera of the type referred to above. An elongated generally conical shroud is secured to the frontal portion of the housing and extends beyond the video camera. The shroud defines a large aperture which supports a mirror aligned to reflect light to the video camera aperture and a smaller aperture which supports a fiber-optic illumination system.
Another presently available device is manufactured by Acuimage Corporation under the trademark Acucam in which a miniature video camera of the type referred to above is supported within an elongated cylindrical housing. A pair of fiber-optic light sources are positioned adjacent the camera lens to provide illumination and a clip-on mirror support is removably attachable to the cylindrical housing and supports an elongated beam having an angled mirror at the end portion thereof.
Another presently available device is manufactured by Dentsply International, Inc. under the trademark Dental Vision which utilizes a miniature video camera in combination with a high intensity xenon light source. The camera is housed within an elongated cylindrical housing having a generally cylindrical reduced diameter extending portion which terminates in a viewing aperture and xenon light source.
Another of the presently available dental imaging systems is manufactured by Fuji Optical Systems, Inc. under the trademark Dentacam. The Dentacam system utilizes an elongated cylindrical housing which completely encloses a miniature video camera. One end of the housing adjacent the camera lens includes an elongated optical coupling pipe terminating in a head portion which supports a lens system and illumination source. The head is angled with respect to the extension to aid in examination of certain portions of the patient's oral cavity.
While the above-described systems provide substantial improvement over direct unaided optical examination of dental patients, the structures thus far provided are generally expensive and often bulky and cumbersome to work with. In addition, substantial portions of the systems must be sterilized at considerable inconvenience. In addition, the systems thus far provided are often inconvenient to operate in that the focus and aperture setting of the camera frequently requires removal of the camera from the systems' housing. Also, the above systems are sometimes subject to poor illumination quality which in turn limits the quality of image available.
There remains, therefore, a continuing need in the art for evermore improved dental imaging systems.